Platinum-catalyzed intramolecular asymmetric hydroarylation of unactivated alkenes with indoles

[reaction: see text] A 1:1 mixture of the platinum bis(phosphine) complex [(S)-4]PtCl2 [(S)-4 = (S)-3,5-t-Bu-4-MeO-MeOBIPHEP] catalyzes the intramolecular asymmetric hydroarylation of 2-(4-pentenyl)indoles in moderate to good yield with up to 90% ee.     

Gold-catalyzed hydrofunctionalization of allenes with nitrogen and oxygen nucleophiles and its mechanistic insight

A wide range of nucleophiles, such as amines and alcohols, reacted intermolecularly with various allenes in the presence of gold catalysts to give the corresponding hydrofunctionalization products in high yields. The intermolecular hydroamination of chiral allenes with aromatic and aliphatic amines proceeded with high to good enantioface selectivities to afford the corresponding chiral allylic amines. On the other hand, in the case of the intermolecular hydroalkoxylation of chiral allenes, no chirality transfer was observed. This marked contrast on the chirality transfer indicates that the mechanisms of gold-catalysis between hydroamination and hydroalkoxylation are different.     

Platinum-catalyzed intramolecular alkylation of indoles with unactivated olefins

Reaction of 1-methy-2-(4-pentenyl)indole (1) with a catalytic amount of PtCl2 (2 mol %) in dioxane that contained a trace of HCl (5 mol %) at 60 degrees C for 24 h led to the isolation of 4,9-dimethyl-2,3,4,9-tetrahydro-1H-carbazole (2) in 92% yield. Platinum-catalyzed cyclization of 2-(4-pentenyl)indoles tolerated substitution at each position of the 4-pentenyl chain. Furthermore, the protocol was applicable to the synthesis of tetrahydro-beta-carbolinones and was effective for cyclization of unprotected indoles. 2-(3-Butenyl)indoles underwent platinum-catalyzed cyclization with exclusive 6-endo-trig regioselectivity. Mechanistic studies established a mechanism for the platinum-catalyzed cyclization of 2-alkenyl indoles involving nucleophilic attack of the indole on a platinum-complexed olefin.     

Platinum-catalyzed intramolecular hydroamination of unactivated olefins with secondary alkylamines

Reaction of benzyl-2,2-diphenyl-4-pentenylamine with a catalytic 1:2 mixture of [PtCl2(H2C=CH2)]2 (2.5 mol %) and PPh3 in dioxane at 120 degrees C for 16 h led to isolation of 1-benzyl-2-methyl-4,4-diphenylpyrrolidine in 75% yield. A number of gamma- and delta-amino olefins underwent intramolecular hydroamination to form the corresponding pyrrolidine derivatives in moderate to good yield. The reaction displayed excellent functional group compatibility and low moisture sensitivity.     

Activation of iron-coordinated arenes toward the attack of carbon,nitrogen, and oxygen nucleophiles

Functionally-substituted carbon nucleophiles undergo addition to arenes coordinated to positive iron, but nitrogen and oxygen nucleophiles abstract α protons from iron-coordinated methylated arenes.     

Addition-substitution reactions of 2-thio-3-chloroacrylamides with carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur and selenium nucleophiles

Synthetically versatile conjugate addition of a range of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur and selenium nucleophiles to the highly functionalised 2-thio-3-chloroacrylamides is described. The stereochemical and synthetic features of this transformation are discussed in detail. In most instances, the nucleophile replaces the chloro substituent with retention of stereochemistry. With the oxygen nucleophiles, a second addition can occur leading to acetals, while with the nitrogen nucleophiles, E-Z isomerism occurs in the resulting enamine derivatives. The ratio of the E/Z isomers can be rationalised on the basis of the substituent and the level of oxidation.     

Direct substitution of propargylic alcohol with oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon nucleophiles catalyzed by molybdenum(VI)

Efficient and direct substitution of propargylic alcohol with a variety of oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon nucleophiles catalyzed by MoO₂(acac)₂/NH₄PF₆ system was developed. The functional alkynes were obtained in modest to good yields with this versatile and practical protocol.     

Hydrochlorofluoromethylation of unactivated alkenes with chlorofluoroacetic acid

An operationally simple method enabling hydrochlorofluoromethylation of unactivated alkenes under visible light activation is reported. The procedure has various benefits. It uses commercially available and inexpensive chlorofluoroacetic acid and phenyliodine(III) diacetate for the generation of the required chlorofluoromethyl radical, it converts feedstock olefins into attractive 1-chloro-1-fluoroalkanes, and it tolerates a broad variety of functional groups. The chlorofluoromethyl radical has a reactivity profile towards alkenes similar to the nucleophilic difluoromethyl radical.     

Organocatalytic hydroacylation of unactivated alkenes

N-Heterocyclic carbenes interact with aldehydes to generate the Breslow intermediate, a rendering of the prototypical electrophile into a nucleophile (umpolung). Recent work has indicated that these intermediates may also add to simple, unpolarized alkenes. The use of a chiral precatalyst leads to the generation of the derived adducts with high yields and very high selectivities.     

Copper-catalyzed oxytrifluoromethylation of unactivated alkenes

A mild, versatile, and convenient method for the efficient oxytrifluoromethylation of unactivated alkenes based on a copper-catalyzed oxidative difunctionalization strategy has been developed. This methodology provides access to a variety of classes of synthetically useful CF(3)-containing building blocks from simple starting materials.     

Radical aminomethylation of unactivated alkenes

S-Succinimidomethyl- and S-phthalimidomethyl xanthates are added efficiently to various alkenes resulting in an overall aminomethylation process. In contrast, under similar conditions, S-pyrrolidonyl xanthate gives rise mostly to oligomers. This unexpected difference in reactivity is attributed to the more important allylic character of the intermediate radical in the case of the imide derivative as compared to the lactam.     

Highly active Au(I) catalyst for the intramolecular exo-hydrofunctionalization of allenes with carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen nucleophiles

Reaction of benzyl (2,2-diphenyl-4,5-hexadienyl)carbamate (4) with a catalytic 1:1 mixture of Au[P(t-Bu)2(o-biphenyl)]Cl (2) and AgOTf (5 mol %) in dioxane at 25 degrees C for 45 min led to isolation of benzyl 4,4-diphenyl-2-vinylpyrrolidine-1-carboxylate (5) in 95% yield. The Au(I)-catalyzed intramolecular hydroamination of N-allenyl carbamates tolerated substitution at the alkyl and allenyl carbon atoms and was effective for the formation of piperidine derivatives. gamma-Hydroxy and delta-hydroxy allenes also underwent Au-catalyzed intramolecular hydroalkoxylation within minutes at room temperature to form the corresponding oxygen heterocycles in good yield with high exo-selectivity. 2-Allenyl indoles underwent Au-catalyzed intramolecular hydroarylation within minutes at room temperature to form 4-vinyl tetrahydrocarbazoles in good yield. Au-catalyzed cyclization of N-allenyl carbamates, allenyl alcohols, and 2-allenyl indoles that possessed an axially chiral allenyl moiety occurred with transfer of chirality from the allenyl moiety to the newly formed stereogenic tetrahedral carbon atom.     

Catalytic asymmetric thiofunctionalization of unactivated alkenes

Catalytic asymmetric sulfenylation of double bonds has been achieved using a BINAM-based phosphoramide catalyst and an electrophilic sulfur source. Simple alkenes as well as styrenes afforded sulfenylated tetrahydrofurans and tetrahydropyrans by closure with pendant hydroxyl or carboxyl groups. Intermolecular thiofunctionalizations were also achieved with simple alcohols or carboxylic acids as the nucleophiles.     

Superacid-catalyzed Friedel-Crafts cyclization of unactivated alkenes

Trifluoromethanesulfonimide is an effective catalyst for Friedel-Crafts cyclizations of simple, nonpolarized alkenes with a variety of pendant arenes. A catalyst loading of 0.5 - 1.0 mol % effects clean cyclization to form 5- to 7-membered carbocycles with generally short reaction times and good to excellent yields under reflux or microwave heating.     

Aldehyde-catalyzed epoxidation of unactivated alkenes with aqueous hydrogen peroxide

The organocatalytic epoxidation of unactivated alkenes using aqueous hydrogen peroxide provides various indispensable products and intermediates in a sustainable manner. While formyl functionalities typically undergo irreversible oxidations when activating an oxidant, an atropisomeric two-axis aldehyde capable of catalytic turnover was identified for high-yielding epoxidations of cyclic and acyclic alkenes. The relative configuration of the stereogenic axes of the catalyst and the resulting proximity of the aldehyde and backbone residues resulted in high catalytic efficiencies. Mechanistic studies support a non-radical alkene oxidation by an aldehyde-derived dioxirane intermediate generated from hydrogen peroxide through the Payne and Criegee intermediates.

An atropisomeric two-axis aldehyde is capable of catalysing the organocatalytic epoxidation of unactivated alkenes using hydrogen peroxide as the oxidant.     

Catalytic intramolecular aminoarylation of unactivated alkenes with aryl sulfonamides

Arylethylamines are abundant motifs in myriad natural products and pharmaceuticals, so efficient methods to synthesize them are valuable in drug discovery. In this work, we disclose an intramolecular alkene aminoarylation cascade that exploits the electrophilicity of a nitrogen-centered radical to form a C–N bond, then repurposes the nitrogen atom''s sulfonyl activating group as a traceless linker to form a subsequent C–C bond. This photoredox catalysis protocol enables the preparation of densely substituted arylethylamines from commercially abundant aryl sulfonamides and unactivated alkenes under mild conditions. Reaction optimization, scope, mechanism, and synthetic applications are discussed.

A photochemical assembly of cyclic arylethylamines occurs by cascade radical annulation and desulfonylative rearrangement in N-acyl sulfonamides. This aminoarylation is made possible through judicious design intended to thwart undesired reactivity.     

Platinum-catalyzed reductive coupling of activated alkenes under hydrogenation conditions

The Pt complex generated from PtCl₂, PR₃, and SnCl₂ catalyzes the reductive coupling of activated alkenes under environmentally benign hydrogenation conditions. Various bis-enones participated in the intramolecular cyclization, forming the desired cyclization products in moderate to good yield. Intermolecular reductive coupling of the enone and the aldehyde provided the coupling product in good yield. This methodology illustrates the first use of platinum complexes in hydrogen-mediated couplings of activated alkenes.     

Iridium-catalyzed intermolecular hydroamination of unactivated aliphatic alkenes with amides and sulfonamides

The intermolecular addition of N-H bonds to unactivated alkenes remains a challenging, but desirable, strategy for the synthesis of N-alkylamines. We report the intermolecular amination of unactivated α-olefins and bicycloalkenes with arylamides and sulfonamides to generate synthetically useful protected amine products in high yield. Mechanistic studies on this rare catalytic reaction revealed a resting state that is the product of N-H bond oxidative addition and coordination of the amide. Rapid, reversible dissociation of the amide precedes reaction with the alkene, but an intramolecular, kinetically significant rearrangement of the species occurs before this reaction with alkene.     

Nickel-catalyzed asymmetric reductive aryl-allylation of unactivated alkenes

Herein we report a nickel-catalyzed asymmetric reductive aryl-allylation of aryl iodide-tethered unactivated alkenes, wherein both acyclic allyl carbonates and cyclic vinyl ethylene carbonates can serve as the coupling partners. Furthermore, the direct use of allylic alcohols as the electrophilic allyl source in this reaction is also viable in the presence of BOC anhydride. Remarkably, this reaction proceeds with high linear/branched-, E/Z- and enantio-selectivity, allowing the synthesis of various chiral indanes and dihydrobenzofurans (50 examples) containing a homoallyl-substituted quaternary stereocenter with high optical purity (90–98% ee). In this reductive reaction, the use of pregenerated organometallics can be circumvented, giving this process good functionality tolerance and high step-economy.

A nickel-catalyzed reductive asymmetric aryl-allylation of tethered unactivated alkenes has been developed, providing diverse benzene-annulated cyclic compounds bearing a quaternary stereocenter with high regio-, E/Z- and enantio-selectivity.